BEYOND THE TRUTH

Entry for April 23, 2009
BEYOND THE TRUTH

The one woman-show

Ms Dam Tuy: 60 years old, and partially paralyzed, used to be a well-known actress and playwright. She is still single. In her journey back through her past, through an interview with a male reporter, we can imagine the men she almost married.

1. Mr. Le Dinh: She was 25 then he was 27. They were classmates in a university, and both were invited to stay on as teachers.

2. Mr. Tran Thanh To: She was 33, and he was 36. At the time, she was an actress, and he was just getting into the real estate trader.

3. Mr. Nguyen Hoang Khanh: She was 45, and he was 38. She had already written some manuscripts and relatively well known as a playwright. As for him, he was preparing to move from being a singer to being a director.

4. Mr Ly Khac Nhan: Her first love, before she was about 20 years old. They met each other again when she was 55, and he was 60.



Some years have past after the beginning of the 21st century. In Ms Dam Tuy’s house at dusk, she is sitting in a wheel chair in a corner of the corridor facing a flower garden. In one corner there is a television, a VCR, a radio-cassette and a telephone with an answering machine. A sunbeam is shining on one half of her face. She turns on the radio. The newscaster reads the weather forecast and the forecast in the coastal areas... She changes the station. Fighting in East Asia. Nuclear bomb test in Africa. A new disease found in Northern Europe. She turned the radio off. Silence. One can hear sad footsteps on the dry leaves in the garden.

Looking at her awkward movements, it is clear to see that she is half paralyzed. She is trying to do exercises to move that other half of her body, but in vain. She lies down and listens to the music, Trinh Cong Son’s song “Long Silence”.

The telephone rings. She plays her fingers on the dry flowers and waits until the tenth ring to lift it up.

A man’s voice: You always wait until the tenth ring to pick up the telephone. What did you do with the last nine rings? I know that you just lie there. And the telephone is right beside you.

Dam Tuy: I wait and I don’t like taking to someone who doesn’t know how to wait. By the way, why don’t you start with something a little polite like: “Excuse me, is this Ms Dam Tuy?”

The man’s voice: I didn’t ask because I am sure that it’s you. You have just finished listening to the news on the radio. The news on this war is not much different from the ones at the end of the 20th century so it bores you. So, now you are listening to music.

Dam Tuy (Turns the radio off): Hey, young man, do you know what I will do after listening to music?.

The voice: You’ll be interviewed by telephone.

Dam Tuy: I haven’t agreed yet.

The voice: You are about to accept.

Dam Tuy: Why?

The voice: Because I have asked for your permission nine times. You have the habit of saying yes to anyone who are patient enough to wait until the tenth time.

Dam Tuy: I don’t remember what you wanted to ask?

The voice: About your love affairs. The man ones, the memorable ones...

Dam Tuy: The interview is over.

The voice: Why?

Dam Tuy:I haven’t had any grand love affairs, no average, and certainly no small ones.

The voice: Ms Tran thi Dam Tuy, an actress and a playwright who is extremely well known has had no grand love affair? Hard to believe!

Dam Tuy: But it’s true, young man!

(Pause)

The voice: Maybe it’s easier for you if we do it this way. You’ve already received the blank cassette tapes from me. Please use them wherever it’s convenient. Ten days later, I’ll come to receive your stories.

Dam Tuy: All right, wait... But I am not promising. And if it does happen, I’ll send these tapes via the post office. You don’t have to come.

The voice: Thank you. I wish you good heath. Today is the first day. I’ll start counting the days.

Dam Tuy: I hope you’ll be patient.

(She turns the music on again. It’s getting dark. She makes herself coffee using only one hand. After a few sips, she turns the cassette-recorder on and starts talking into it).

It’s funny to force a woman to tell love story when she’s already 60 years old. Who are the men who have passed through my life? The ones who loved me and the ones I loved. The ones I want to forget and the ones who are unforgettable. Sixty years old. Am I really relaxed enough to prepare for my departure? All right, I’ll tell the story, young man, but for myself, not for you.
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Thursday April 23, 2009 - 01:48am (ICT) Edit | Delete

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